9.17.2014

What Are You Teaching About Constitution Day?







For the fifth year, teachers and friends gathered before dawn to honor our country and Constitution Day by placing 100 flags ( Or thereabouts) around the entrance to our school. It has been a reminder to not only the community, but the students, of the importance of our rights and responsibilities as a nation. It is amazing the response. Even this morning in the dark, joggers thanked us for allowing them to jog by the flag, and a dog walker said they were taking an extra loop around the field to enjoy the feeling of patriotism.

For these two teachers that is part of it.

Even more,  it is a visual reminder and honoring of what our forefathers laid ground with so many years ago those ideals that ask us to honor our nation, collectively work for good, be a responsible and active citizen, work to eliminate injustice, and be proud to be an American. 

Today are you teaching about Constitution Day?  Join in using some of these resources to bring this document and civic learning to your classroom!

Click Here for the Constitution Day HOT LINKS if your browser does not show the newsletter below!!



9.01.2014

Teaching About Labor: An Annotated List of Digital Resources

Marchers in a Labor Day Parade in Detriot, MI.
Library of Congress Collections
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/owi2001011335/PP/resource/



As you consider the impact of labor in the United States and around the world this Labor Day, tuck away this resource for reference.  We have compiled a list that makes these websites easily accessible for future reference. This gives us, and hopefully other teachers, a great way to find primary sources on labor relations and the story of labor. This is far from an exhaustive list but rather one that we find useful after several years of heavy duty bookmarking! Enjoy and thanks for teaching...

United States:

Library of Congress Chronicling America: A wonderful reference point for superb primary sources on labor.

Library of Congress Themed Resources on Labor: A great teaching resource with nice primary sources and teaching ideas.

Library of Congress Blog on Labor: An extensive blog with resources on the LOC website.

Smithsonian Institution Archival Collections: Labor search in the Smithsonian Institution Collections

Smithsonian Institution Art to Zoo Child Labor Lesson Plan: Access the archived lesson plan on child labor from the Smithsonian Institution which is an excellent way to teach about labor and children.

National Archives: Photographs from Lewis Hine on child labor.

National Archives DocsTeach: Yes we love docs teach! Check out the MANY resources by searching in their collection.

PBS: Labor management simulation from PBS.

Labor and Working Class History Association: Amazing resources from a leader in teaching about labor.

National Education Association Labor Day Teaching Resources: Teaching resources and curriculum materials from NEA.

Teaching Labor from Teaching Tolerance: A leading educational organization shares curriculum for teaching about labor.

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Statistics and labor resources for teaching about labor.

American Labor Studies Center: A wonderful resource for songs, posters, timelines, links, lesson plans and more.

Chronology of American Labor History: GREAT resource with hot links and timeline.

Teaching About Labor from the American Federation of Teachers: Lesson plans, timeline, and resources on labor.

History Matters: Search labor and over 400 resources come forward. A goldmine for educators!

Knights of Labor Oath from History Matters

Teaching History: A curriculum for teaching about labor from a leading social studies resource!

Women Working: A collection documenting the role of women in the workforce from Harvard. Check out the diaries and memoirs!

After Slavery-Race, Labor, and Politics in the Post Emancipation Carolinas: Check out the rich resources on this site for discussion of labor and race following the Civil War.

Freedman and the Southern Society Project: Labor after the Civil way with transcriptions from the National Archives.

Keel Center's Labor Photo Database: Great labor photos - some now available on Flickr.com

FactMonster Labor: A great site with an overview and curated links on teaching related topics.

Labor Day for Elementary Kids: A site with puzzles, games, and information.

Scholastic News: Printables for teaching about child labor.

Primer on Labor from the National Catholic Council of Bishops: Catholics have a long association with labor in the US. Here is a reference point for labor and social teaching from the Catholic lens.

International:

Developing a Global Perspective: Outstanding resource list for teaching about child labor and fair trade.

International Labor Organization: A great starting point for updated information on child labor and labor relations around the world.

Teach UNICEF: Child Labor resources from UNICEF with downloadable PDF's

Human Rights Eduction Association: Resources and lesson plan on teaching about child labor internationally.

Education International: World Day Against Child Labor

Scholastic: Child labor around the world.

United Nations: Resources and talking points for teaching labor from the United Nations

Foundation for Teaching Economics: Sweatshops Lesson